AN: I left that last chapter on a very good note…didn’t I? Let’s see if I drop a bomb on you all here. Enjoy!

5 WEEKS LATER:

Quiet is the word Taemin would use to describe the dorm. It had been very quiet lately. While there had been no sense of togetherness, there was no bickering, either.

Jinki had ended up staying in Taemin’s bed that night, huddled close to the maknae and seeking his comfort. Taemin didn’t object, feeling a wave of happiness and nostalgia rush over him from how close they were. It had been the next morning that Taemin watched Jinki take Minho into the rapper’s bedroom and break up with him, telling him he needed to be single for now.

Jonghyun and Kibum, on the other hand, were overjoyed that this break through had happened. It gave them a sense of hope that maybe things would return to normal after all and Taemin and Jinki would be given a chance to fix what had been nearly broken between them.

The leader didn’t stop Taemin from hanging out with Daehyun that weekend, either. Taemin and the fan had a blast, going around the city and having fun just the two of them. While Taemin was happy to be smiling for once, he still felt a pang of guilt when Daehyun would hold his hand or try to pull him close.

He didn’t want to have a tiny crush on Daehyun. Not only was it unfair to the boy because they would almost never see each other if they did decide to date, but it wasn’t fair to Taemin when his heart really did belong to Jinki.

Minho, on the other hand, was bitter. Taemin knew he was spending most of his time in his room, practically avoiding everyone in the dorm. They tried to act normal on group outings, and Taemin had begun to see a change in the leader. He was smiling a bit more each day and they had started to repair their friendship. No longer did they avoid talking, but rather Jonghyun would often find them sitting at the table playing a game or on the couch watching a movie. It felt like things were beginning to fall back into place.

To Taemin, he was happy that he had Jinki back, even if most of their conversations were small, but friendly. The five were out as a group right now, trying to act normal. It wasn’t working very well. It was when they piled in the car that their manger sighed and turned to them.

“I have news boys. You’re going to have a weekend off.”

Taemin raised an eyebrow. “What’s the catch?”

“The CEO can see you aren’t getting along as well as you used to. So the five of you are spending a weekend away and working out all of these conflicts and issues. No arguments.”

Kibum snorted. This was going to be a fun weekend. “So when do we leave?”

“Tonight. Be ready to go by 8:00. Until then you’re free to go pack and eat.”

The car ride home was silent and Minho refused to sit next to Jinki, which left the maknae to sit by the leader. He could feel something radiating off of Jinki but he couldn’t tell if it was anger or sadness.

They had not really progressed further than being friends and Taemin knew he was the one holding all the cards right now. He could push Jinki away and let himself simply fall in love with Daehyun. His heart told him not to.

He could see Daehyun was getting irritated with how he couldn’t make a decision between the two. He could tell Jinki was getting frustrated with how difficult he was being and not letting anything progress between them. But Taemin made his decision. If he was going to spend a weekend alone with Jinki, then he needed to spend some time with Daehyun first, to see which spark ignited his heart more.

When they pulled up at their dorm, Taemin was the first one out and pressing the buttons on his phone. He looked up at his hyungs, “I need to go take care of something. I’ll be back.” He smiled sadly at Jinki and then took off down the road, holding the phone to his ear.

“Yah, Hyung! Guess-”

Taemin smiled as he interrupted him. “I’m on my way to come get you so I can take you out for an amazing dinner and fun night. I have to leave town for the weekend and I want to spend some time alone with you.” Taemin heard him go silent before another voice echoed through the line. “Long time no talk, Hyung!”

“J-Jihun-ah?” He stopped running once he realized that the two boys knew each other. Jihun giggled, “We’re at the café around the corner from Daehyunnie’s house. Come join us?”

He could feel his heart breaking slightly in two. “Ah, sure. I’ll be right there.”

He hung up his phone and walked slowly, until he reached the café. He saw the two sitting across from each other, sharing a bubble tea with two straws. He hated how they looked adorable together, right when he was starting to get some feelings for Daehyun. Jihun looked up and smiled brightly, waving the idol in.

Taemin cleared his throat as he walked in and to the table, taking the other lone chair.

“I didn’t realize you both knew each other.”

“Yeah! Daehyunnie was my old high school sweetheart!”

Taemin’s eyes widened and he peered at the other boy to find him smiling sadly. He got it now. Jihun must have looked him up when he got into town. He smiled though.

 “It’ll be nice for you two to be close again then. You’re still going to school here, right, Jihun-ah?”

“Neh! Daehyun and I are attending the same university actually…”

Taemin bit his lip. He felt shattered again, even though he hadn’t been dating the boy. He looked down at his phone to see Jonghyun calling him.

“Excuse me, I have to take this.”

He rushed out of the café and sat on the bricks outside, holding the phone to his ear.

“Jonghyun-hyung?”

“You may want to come here…Minho’s on a rampage and Jinki refuses to leave his room unless you’re the one on the other side of the door.”

What more could go wrong?

“I’ll be there soon.”

He hung up the phone and turned around, only to witness the two kissing softly over their empty cup of tea. He remembered him and Jinki doing that when their relationship was still new and he wanted it, so badly.

Taemin wiped away a tear and went back inside.

 “I…there’s been an emergency at my dorm, so I have to go take care of it.” When he saw the two lace hands he tried to smile. “How long were you apart?”

“A couple of months really,” Jihun said.

He felt stupid at that moment.

Daehyun frowned at him, “Go take care of the emergency, Hyung, we understand. We’ll hang out next week, promise.”

“Y-yeah. I’ll…text you,” he said as he waved goodbye.

He took his time walking back to the dorm, his face blank. He felt utterly stupid, not even realizing that Daehyun probably had a lost lover as well. If anything he was pissed that they didn’t tell him, especially when Daehyun knew he had feelings for him.

When he made it back to his dorm, Taemin ducked under the flying clothes and dashed past the screaming rapper and diva to the leader’s room. He knocked on the door, hoping Jinki could hear his voice over the three yelling in the living room.

“Hyung, it’s me…open up?”

The door slightly opened and he was tugged into the room so fast that he barely blinked. He felt Jinki wrap his arms around him, seeking the comfort Taemin knew he wanted.

“What did Minho do now?

Jinki sounded angry, “I’m close to killing him, Taemin. I really am.”

Taemin leaned away from Jinki, “What did he do, Hyung? Tell me.”

Instead Jinki merely shook his head and let go of the maknae, trailing over to his bed. Taemin watched him sit down and grip his pillow tightly. Jinki opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, struggling to find the words he wanted to say. Taemin stood in his spot, wondering if he should go and sit next to the leader or stay. His feet eventually pulled him to the bed and he sat down next to Jinki.

“Okay, you don’t have to tell me what happened, but will you at least tell me what you’re thinking?”

He was quiet for a few moments. Taemin watched him bend forward, hiding his face in his hands.

“I feel lost Taemin. I feel so ing lost without you. Watching you run off to meet that fan nearly broke my heart because I can’t stand the thought of losing you further.”

Taemin debated whether or not to tell Jinki that Daehyun wasn’t exactly truthful with him about his feelings towards him. He hurt right now, too, and he didn’t know if it was wrong to seek comfort with Jinki. He grabbed the leader’s hand.

 “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Only because Jonghyun called you. I know he did.”

“That’s…not the only reason.”

Jinki looked up at him and he sighed.

“I’ll tell you later tonight when we get to wherever the hell we’re going. I have a feeling manger-hyung is going to make us all stay in the same room and we can talk in private once we’re there.”

Jinki peered at him closely, and Taemin for once felt proud that Jinki was barely able to see his emotions. But Jinki wouldn’t be Jinki if he didn’t somehow sense Taemin’s own distress.

“Something happened.”

“Neh,” Taemin replied. He smiled at Jinki, “I promise to tell you. I swear it. Let’s just make it to this place in one piece.”

Jinki nodded, knowing not to push the boy further. The maknae was grateful for that and wrapped his arms around Jinki. All he had to do was make it through the car ride and maybe he would actually figure out how to do something right for a change.

AN: Next chapter…is going to be very freaking emotional and I’m warning you now.